MacEwan to join Canada West for athletics competition beginning in 2014

Starting in the 2014-15 season, the Griffins will compete as part of the Canada West Universities Athletics Association, moving from the Alberta Athletics Conference following the upcoming 2013-14 season, after four decades in the ACAC.

In September 2014, the Griffins begin play in Canada West, one of four conferences comprising Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), in sports of men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer and cross-country.

MacEwan became Canada West’s 17th member last week, when the conference announced it had granted the Edmonton school as a probationary acceptance.

“It’s kind of like being rewarded, but there’s really a lot of work to do on the horizon,” says Ken Schildroth, MacEwan’s director of athletics. “I look it at as a step in a process, and we have to keep our eye on the championship. So this is one of the qualifications to get to the championship, (which equates to) being a valued member of Canada West that is competitive in the sports that we have.”

The probationary tag means MacEwan will compete in Canada West in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons before applying to become an official full member. MacEwan will formally seek CIS membership in June 2014.

In order to become a “valued member” worthy of full status, Schildroth feels MacEwan athletic programs must be both successful in competition and with graduating its students. He also says coaches must contribute to the community and help make advancement in their sport.

“It’s going to take a lot of hard work, from us coaches (and) from our athletes,” says Griffins men’s basketball coach Eric Magdanz. “Whenever you move up to a higher level, in academics or in sports, there’s a transition period and there’s a new approach that needs to be taken, so there’s going to be a learning curve along the way, but we’re prepared and excited for it.”

Before joining the Griffins last season, Magdanz was an assistant coach with the 2011-12 University of Alberta men’s basketball team that won the Canada West championship and finished as runner-up in the entire CIS.

“From what I noticed, the biggest difference between the ACAC and the CIS is the size of the athletes, the speed of the game, and the skill level,” Magdanz says. “The CIS is the highest level in Canada, and for us to make that jump our athletes are going to have to be ready to compete at that level and we’re going to have to bring in athletes who are also excited and willing to compete at that level.”

Considered the winningest conference in CIS, Canada West includes teams from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, a sprawling geographical span that Schildroth is thrilled to now be part of.

“It’s the most prestigious athletic conference to b a member of in all of Canada,” Schildroth says. “It’s huge for our athletic programs (and) it’s really good for our university in terms of exposure and association with such fabulous members."

It seems the welcome mat is being rolled out. University of Alberta women’s volleyball coach Laurie Eisler embraced the news of MacEwan’s arrival, even if that means one more team for her Pandas to contend with, and another school to recruit against.

“I really value the CIS volleyball experience, it’s a great opportunity for young women to compete at the highest level they can in Canada,” says Eisler. “So to have another 12 (to) 15 athletes that get access to that is a wonderful thing…”

“We’ve got the athletes and they need opportunities, and I’d much rather see them playing at MacEwan than going to States, and losing those kids.”

After the 2013-14 season, MacEwan’s hockey, curling, and golf programs will continue competing in the ACAC. Once MacEwan becomes a full member of Canada West, Schildroth says, the school will consider moving its other sports to Canada West, with hockey the strongest candidate. MacEwan’s board of governors has earmarked $2 million for a community hockey rink attached to the proposed downtown arena, where the Griffins would play their home games. The $2 Million would increase arena seating from 300 to 1,000, so to meet Canada West requirements.

It was also announced last week that UBC-Okanagan has become Canada West’s 14th full member. UBCO had been accepted on probationary status three years ago. Mount Royal and the University of Northern British Columbia have held probationary status since 2011, and will be eligible full membership in 2014. To this point, all schools that have gone through Canada West’s probationary process have ultimately been successful in obtaining full member status.

“I believe that we’re going to get the job done and we’ll be moving (volleyball, basketball, soccer and cross country) permanently into Canada West,” says Schildroth.

MacEwan, then known as Grant MacEwan Community College, was founded in 1971 and joined the ACAC in 1974. The Griffins have won six men’s basketball titles, seven women’s volleyball titles, two men’s volleyball titles, three men’s soccer titles, three women’s soccer titles, two women’s cross country titles and one men’s cross country title.